What Could Be
by Nozomi88
Summary: The Shikon no Tama is whole, Naraku is defeated, and the gang find themselves in the aftermath. Does completing the quest mean that Kagome leaves the Sengoku Jidai for good? What about Inu Yasha? What about Kikyou? Decisions will have to be made. IYKa
1. After the Storm

**"What Could Be"**

**An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Nozomi**

[A/N: This isn't my first attempt at a Fanfic nor the first one published, but this will be the first one I'll be posting on Fanfiction.Net, so let me know what you think.  Also, I don't want the characters to be OOC, so do let me know if I'm getting carried away.  -_-  No flamers please.  If you don't like my writing, you can go write your own fanfic (so there!), hehehe.  Peace! ]

Disclaimer: Inu Yasha and company belong to Rumiko Takahashi.  I'm just a wannabe.  ^_~

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**Chapter 1: After the Storm**

It was over.

This realization dawned on Kagome as she watched the Shikon no Tama in her hand change itself, a lavender swirl of color blending in with the black ebony smoke the little pearl seemed to be made of, until it fully engulfed the blackness.  Moments ago, just before she had picked it up, it had been as dark as Naraku's soul, if he ever even had one.  In her hands, the Shikon no Tama was purified from the evil that had defiled it.

Behind her, someone coughed.  It wasn't to get her attention however.  It was the cough of someone who was able to finally catch a deep breath.  She turned her head to the sound, and found Miroku sprawled against a pile of debris.  Sango was crawling towards the monk, her injured right leg preventing her from walking to him, which would have been faster.

On her left, Kirara meowed, and Kagome followed the sound to find the demon cat looming over Shippou, who was currently lying down on his stomach, his head resting on his arm.  He was breathing, judging from the slow rise and fall of his back.  Aside from the visible scratches on his body made obvious by his torn sleeves, he looked like he didn't suffer too many injuries.  He wasn't bleeding much…

Bleeding…

Kagome stood up anxiously, looking for Inu Yasha.  He had been bleeding badly when he unleashed his final attack on Naraku, and her last horrifying thought as the Bakuryuhaa's power filled the wasteland they had fought on, was that if he did not finish off Naraku soon, it would have meant his death.

She spotted Inu Yasha's red haori on her right and quickly ran over to him.  He was lying on his back, and she feared the worst as she dropped down on her knees beside him.

"Inu… Yasha?  Inu Yasha?!" she called out to him as she gently nudged his shoulders.  No response.  "Inu Yasha??" she said, her voice rising a notch as she frantically started shaking him, wishing him to open his eyes and tell her he was alright.

Tears started welling in her eyes.  She heard Sango and Miroku making their way to her.  She felt Kirara softly nuzzle her hand, perhaps in consolation.  "Baka, get up!  Tell me you're alright!  It's me, Kagome…"

Still no response.  Her eyes wandered to the wounds and cuts he had on his arms, chest and legs.  He had given everything he had into this battle.  So had Miroku, Sango and Kirara.  Even Shippou had attempted some advanced _kitsune_ magic today, just to help defeat their enemy.  Kagome, who had no fancy moves or weapons, no demon blood, nor magic to help her friends, could only do so much with her Purifying arrows.  But apparently, it had been enough.  She felt no traces of Naraku's evil jaki anywhere, and without the Shikon no Tama, which was now safely in her hands, he was really gone for good.  Inu Yasha had finally finished his quest to destroy Naraku.  But at the cost of his life?

Her lips began to quiver at the thought that Inu Yasha was dead.  _NO!  It can't be!_ she thought.

_Inu Yasha._

Inu Yasha, whose temper was quick to flare, whose foul language and annoying habit of doing things before thinking, whose traits-- both good (although he would never admit it) and bad, spoke of how alive a creature he had been… she could not believe it.

Her heart wrenched at the thought that she would never even be able to tell him what she felt deep in her heart, a feeling she had kept inside her since the day she asked him if she could stay with him.

_~~~ Flashback ~~~_

_She had returned to the Sengoku Jidai, and was sitting on the brim of the well that was her doorway to her two realities.  She sat there, contemplating, wondering how to tell Inu Yasha what she had thought about that day._

_And he had saved her the trouble by suddenly appearing at the clearing leading to the well._

_She had turned in his direction, and time seemed to stop for her as she tried to gather her thoughts.  And later on, when she wanted to tell him what she felt in her heart, she heard herself say_

_"Can I stay with you?"_

_~~~ End Flashback ~~~_

Kagome could not hold the tears back anymore.  Her lips quivered violently as she valiantly tried to stop the sob that threatened to escape from her lips.  It was a futile effort at best.  Her mouth had already formed the words and forced her to say them.

"Inu Yasha!!" she cried out, and threw herself over him in anguish.

She felt Sango drop down beside her, felt her arms go around her, trying to give her comfort.  She heard Miroku quietly chanting beside them, hearing the swishing sound his sleeves made as he gestured his hands in a manner to offer prayers and blessings to their fallen comrade.

Speaking of fallen, she must have put the full force of her weight down on Inu Yasha when she threw herself onto him, because the body she was lying on suddenly moved.

"Oi."

Kagome quickly scrambled off him, and looked happily in surprise at the hanyou lying on the ground.  His left eye was swollen, but his right eye was slightly open, and he was looking at her.  She sighed in relief.

"Kagome, why are you crying?"

Inu Yasha's clawed hand slowly came in contact with her cheek, and he gently wiped the tears that had fallen with his thumb.  She captured his hand in hers, and rubbed her cheek against his palm.

"I'm so glad you're alright," she choked.

His golden eyes searched into her blue ones, his concern evident.  He smiled weakly at her.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes.  You kept me safe.  Thank you.  Will you be alright?"

"Keh.  I've survived worse than this.  Give me a few hours and I'll be good as new," he assured her.  There was a silent pause as he took a deep breath then closed his eyes, not releasing their joined hands.

"I did it, didn't I?  We got him, didn't we?"

It was the smug, boasting tone in his voice that finally made Kagome smile.  She gave him the words she knew he longed to hear ever since they began their quest.

"Yes, Inu Yasha.  Naraku is dead.  We did it."

At her words, Inu Yasha mumbled a distinct keh.  His hand fell limp in Kagome's grasp, and she knew that he had drifted off to unconsciousness once again.  The grin on his face would have looked silly had the situation been less dramatic, but all the same, it made her smile wider.  She looked up at Miroku and Sango, who looked at her with teary, joyful expressions on their faces.  Kagome closed her eyes and clutched the momentarily-forgotten Shikon no Tama tightly in her hand.

It was FINALLY over.

[A/N: Bwahahahahaha…  REALLY!  You didn't think I'd kill Inu Yasha in the very first chapter, did you?  YOU DID!?  -_-  Who could resist the adorable ears?  Of course I wouldn't kill my favorite character in this anime.]


	2. Wounds Take Time to Heal

**"What Could Be"**

**An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Nozomi**

[A/N: It's my first chappie and 2 reviews already!  ^_^  Thanks to IsleofSolitude and KellyChan for their encouraging reviews.  I actually didn't have Chapter 2 ready today when I logged into FF.NET (writer's block, go figure) but the reviews helped me put my thoughts together.  So again, a BIG THANKS to you both!  ^_^  By the way, I had to up the rating to PG-13 due to the language used in this Chapter.

KellyChan: I actually just had an idea in mind when I wrote this, but currently, I'm at a loss where to take it.  I'm playing with 5 different scenarios (how the heck will I decide?), and putting in ideas as they come along, so let's just wait and see.  *grin* ]

Disclaimer: Inu Yasha and company belong to Rumiko Takahashi.  But *I* own this fanfic, muahahahahah *megalomaniac laughter*!  So there!  *Whacks lawyers on the head with Akane Tendo's mallet*

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**Chapter 2: Wounds Take Time to Heal**

The battle had been an ordeal for all of them.  Sango tested the strength in her legs as she walked gingerly around the clearing.  It was not an easy task, considering that the ground was littered with mutilated demon entrails and parts.  Miroku had earlier tended to her leg injury, and was now tending to Shippou's wounds.

She felt herself blush, remembering how Miroku had treated her.  He had fussed about infection, scars, and other nonsense as he carefully cleaned the long gash in her leg, which he declared would probably leave a scar running down from her mid-thigh to her ankle [A/N: what the heck do you call the section behind the shins?]  He had a reddish tinge across his cheeks the whole time he worked on her, and to her pleasant surprise, he had not attempted to grope her at all.

Kagome had actually already begun to treat Sango's wounds when Miroku suggested that she take care of Inu Yasha instead and leave Sango to him.  Sango had been apprehensive at first, fearing that the lecherous monk would try something, but when she saw how Kagome gazed longingly at dog demon's limp body, she told her friend that she would be alright.  And Kagome had given her a thankful glance before going over to Inu Yasha.

"Does it hurt much?" Miroku had asked her as he disinfected her leg.

And she had winced as he applied the liquid Kagome called "alcohol" before telling him it didn't.  She voice broke on those words though, and Miroku had looked up to find her biting her lip.  He smiled gently and bent his head down again, examining the wound.  Then, as if he had meant to do it all along, he blew onto it.

The rush of air on the cooling alcohol made the burning sensation bearable.

"Does that help?"

She had nodded at him, and let him continue his ministrations.  She would have to remember to ask him about it later on.

Sango sighed, the blush never leaving her cheeks, and stopped walking.  Looking up towards the sun that was beginning to rise over the mountains, she wondered how she would have the heart to leave him when they finally parted ways.

On the other side of the clearing, Miroku sneezed.  Shippou had regained consciousness the moment the alcohol touched his skin, but once he regained his wits, the little fox had kept the pain in check and had bravely resorted to small whimpers (as opposed to screaming as children would) and allowed Miroku to tend to him.  His cooperation had made Miroku's task easier, and they were soon finished.  It was thankful that Shippou had minor injuries, and his demon blood was helping him heal faster.  It only took Miroku a few minutes to clean and apply bandages on Shippou before he was satisfied.

He now sat on a rock, also facing the sunrise, the cloth which sealed his cursed hand lying unraveled in his lap.  He examined his right palm, which no longer had the air void.  In the spot where the black hole had been, was a circular wound, which was lightly bleeding.  He lightly ran his left index finger over it, unbelieving that the void was finally gone.  When finger touched palm, his right hand felt like a hundred needles were pricking him.  He winced.  The air void in his right hand had been ripped many times, due to demon insects and his using it when he shouldn't have.  The circular wound was probably a result of those times his air void had been ripped, and from the looks of it, it would take some time before he would be able to regain full use of his palm again.  He would have to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on his palm till it healed completely.  However, he was grateful that the curse of the air void was lifted the moment Naraku's _jaki_ disappeared from the face of this earth, and he would no longer have to worry about being swallowed up.

He wrapped the sealing cloth again on his right palm and mused about how he would have to stop this habit, then stood up and gave a silent prayer for his late father and grandfather.

"Father, Grandfather…you have been avenged.  May your souls rest in peace."

He continued to offer some more prayers for his predecessors, when he felt Sango's presence behind him.

"Would you please offer one for Kohaku as well?"

Miroku was still for a moment, remembering how they had found Kohaku.  Rather, Kohaku had found them.  He had been trying to stop them from approaching Naraku's castle in the mountains.  The forest had been very dense, and Kohaku was blocking their only path onwards.  One of Naraku's puppets had been standing behind the boy.

_~~~ Flashback ~~~_

_"Kohaku!!" Sango exclaimed as their party tore across the path that would lead them to Naraku's castle._

_His eyes had been glassy and empty when he looked up to her.  By now, Sango had understood that the real Kohaku was still somewhere inside this zombie, but the boy she now faced was not her brother.  She wanted to keep still and silent, to watch how Naraku would use Kohaku so that she would have another reason to kill the evil bastard, but the sister in her made her speak._

_"Kohaku, snap out of it!"_

_"Go."_

_The puppet commanded Kohaku, and he ran with lightning speed towards Sango, his weapon raised in front of him as he moved in to attack._

_"You bastard, you're still using Kohaku as a shield," Inu Yasha growled, his hand moving to Tessaiga.  Sango's hand stopped him._

_"This is my battle with Naraku, Inu Yasha."_

_They let Sango take the front of their party, and she stood waiting for Kohaku with her hand ready at the Hiraikotsu._

_She whipped the Hiraikotsu in front of her as a shield and it caught Kohaku's weapon as it came down to slice her.  Before Kohaku could drop to the ground, she pushed against the boomerang and jumped, causing Kohaku and the weapon to go back flying into the air.  She went after him, dodging the attacks that furiously came at her.  Kohaku's weapon was very sharp, and if she lost even the slightest bit of concentration, she would get hurt.  She had to get rid of it to accomplish what she needed to do!_

_But a person controlled by unknown forces could do more than an emotionally trapped sister, and Kohaku had this edge over her.  In Kohaku's mind, he knew his master would be pleased to be rid of this annoyance for good, so he didn't give her a chance to pause._

_"Get rid of her," his master's voice resounded in his head over and over.  "Kill her."  It repeated over and over until the voice that commanded him multiplied in number.  "Destroy her!" they urged._

_"Kohaku, please," Sango's pleading voice tore through the hazy echoes.  He put his left leg forward and swiped at her.  Right foot forward and jab.  Left food forward and strike.  And all she did was dodge or block his attacks._

_"Why isn't she attacking you?" a small voice suddenly made itself known inside his head.  He kept advancing on the woman who kept calling him Kohaku like she knew him.  The voice had distracted him, however, and he hesitated._

_Sango took the chance to try again.  "I don't want to see you get hurt!"_

_"Why not?" the small voice inside his head asked him.  "Why does she care?" it added, and this question overpowered the murderous voices inside his head.  It made him stumble backwards and stop._

_The woman who kept calling him Kohaku quickly used the boomerang against him, it's rounded edge nicking his fingers.  It caused him to drop his own weapon.  There was a pregnant pause as they looked at each other for a moment, then Kohaku spun around to run.  He immediately fell to the ground as the woman threw herself at him, her arms going around his waist in a tackle to keep him from running._

_"Get up!  Finish her!" the voices screamed at him.  He struggled to get up from the ground, shoving his body left and right to shake the woman off him.  Finally, she rolled him over to look at her, his wrists trapped in her hands.  He looked up at his captor and found tears brimming in her eyes._

_"Kohaku!  You didn't kill Otousan or our comrades!  Do you hear me?  YOU didn't kill them!"_

_And then the woman released his hands and embraced him, holding him tightly to her.  Kohaku went very still when she embraced him, and he deftly stole the knife she had tucked into the sash at her waist.  His hand was raised, ready to stab the woman with her own knife when she spoke again._

_"You didn't kill them."_

_It may have been her words, or the tone of her voice, but something went off in his head, silencing the murderous voices, replacing them with the visions he had been trying to run away from._

_As he ran to help his comrades, he felt something prick his neck, which made him stop in his tracks.  His mind went blank, and he felt himself raise his weapon and attack the Taijiya.  One by one, he used his weapon to strike fatal blows on all of them, including his father.  And then he had tried to kill his sister…_

_His sister._

_Kohaku's eyes widened.  The glassy look disappeared and he felt his eyes burn.  His body started to shiver._

_"Kohaku?" the woman holding him had pushed him away from her so she could look into his eyes.  Behind her, Kohaku's grip on the knife loosened, and the blade fell harmlessly to the grass behind her.  He looked into the woman's eyes and realized why she always haunted his thoughts._

_"Anee-ue," he whispered.  He saw Sango's eyes widen in surprise and watched as confusion then joy played across her face.  The memories came flooding back to him, threatening to destroy whatever ounce of sanity he had left as waves of anguish racked throughout his body.  He wanted to block them out, didn't want to see them at all._

_The voices saw their chance of recapturing Kohaku into their darkness.  Yessss… they hissed at him.  Forgettt… you don't need to remember all thattt… we'll help keep you safeee… forgettt…_

_But the small voice decided to speak out, and five simple words permeated the blackness in his mind._

_"You did not kill them."_

_"Anee-ue, I'm sorry!"_

_It killed the voices.  The emptiness inside of him, the nothingness… they were all replaced by a tugging at his heart which he had not felt before.  He had never been able to feel anything before.  And then he was crying.  The pain he had wanted to remove from his being washed over him, and he cried harder.  He cried like his heart would stop at any moment._

_Then Sango took him into her arms again._

_"Kohaku, it's alright."_

_The warmth of her words and her embrace humbled him, and he turned to the comfort that his sister offered._

_"How touching."_

_The taunting voice was back.  They had forgotten the kugutsu._

_"I've had about enough of you," Kagome bit out.  She stepped forward and pulled out one of her arrows._

_The puppet laughed.  "I have no reason to dally here.  I will take what is mine, and await you at the castle, should you somehow manage to stay alive long enough to face me."  Tentacles suddenly sprang from the kugutsu's body, and rushed towards them at blinding speed._

_"Sankontetsou!!!"_

_But while Inu Yasha's attack had severed many tentacles, more sprang forth from the puppet, and the ones Inu Yasha weren't able to destroy made their way to their target._

_"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"_

_Kohaku's body was ripped from Sango's embrace, and she was too stunned to do nothing more than watch as his body was flung fifty feet into the air.  The tentacle that had attacked Kohaku slithered back to the puppet's body.  She and the others stared in horror as blood spurted out from the gaping wound in Kohaku's back, where the Shikon shard had been._

_"You BASTARD!" Sango screamed.  Within seconds, the hiraikotsu flew across the path towards Naraku's puppet._

_Sango's mark was true, but Naraku had not finished playing with them yet.  His poisonous bees burst forth from the kugutsu, taking the Shikon shard along with them._

_Ironically, Inu Yasha had jumped up to catch Kohaku's body when the bees flew past him, and with the boy in his arms, he could not launch an attack to stop the bees.  They all watched helplessly as the Shikon shard and its carriers disappeared into the mountains above them._

_"Anee-ue," Kohaku breathed out as Inu Yasha laid him gently on the ground in front of Sango.  "I- I'm scared.  I- feel- s-so slee- epyy."_

_"I'm here, Kohaku.  Go to sleep.  Get some rest.  We won't leave you."_

_Her words seemed to have calmed him, because Kohaku gave a weak smile and closed his eyes slowly._

_Sango felt her body convulse with shivers.  She was glad Kohaku had closed his eyes and could not see her in this state.  She had known for a long time that he would not survive without the Shikon shard, known that she would have to remove it from his body after she made him understand that the deaths of the Taijiya was not his fault, but she had not been prepared for the emotional reunion she was able to have with him before he died a second time.  Her body began to tremble due to both happiness and despair, though the former weighed more.  She was glad Kohaku could finally rest in peace._

_Kohaku never got to hear her shout his name._

_~~~ End Flashback ~~~_

Miroku bowed his head at the memories, and looked over his shoulder to find Sango smiling sadly at him.  He extended his hand out to her.

She accepted his hand, and felt his other arm go around her as she took a few steps towards him.

"Yes, I already have.  Soothe your heart, Sango.  He is in a better place," he whispered to her.

Sango's arms hesitantly wrapped around the monk's waist as she accepted his solace, and she buried her head in the crook of his neck when their bodies touched.  They both knew it would be a long time before the pain would go away, but for now, everything was better.

Kagome looked over to the embracing couple silhouetted by the sunrise, then turned her head away, her attention once again on the dog demon who was resting beside her.  She had a silly grin on her face as she brushed some strands of silver hair from Inu Yasha's forehead.

Some wounds were already starting to heal.

[A/N: *phew*  ^_^  Hope you liked it!  Some vocabulary:

kugutsu = puppet

Anee-ue = another term for older sister ]


	3. Interlude: Shippou

**"What Could Be"**

**An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Nozomi**

[A/N: SORRY!!!  I hate writer's block.  I was trying to come up with a funny story for this Chapter, since Chapters 1 and 2 are too… serious *sweatdrop*  Naraku's dead after all, I wanted the mood to be light.  Also, I was busy, working and getting ready to move into a new house.  Hence the more than 1 week delay in updating…

* Nozomi ducks as readers throw a couple of Inu Yasha dolls at her*  Pauses for a thought.  * Stands up and grabs one and proceeds to get hit squarely on the face by angry readers *

Okay, OKAY!!!  I'll admit it!  I can't write comedy!  Dang it all, I can write romance, drama, suspense, mysteries… heck, I can even write angst (my most hated genre)!  But for some sick reason, my creative muses decided to exclude comedy from my writing skills.  -_-  *muses giggle* So after trying to inspire myself by watching episodes 91-96 of Inu Yasha, reading a *LOT* of humorous fanfics, and reading and re-reading my reviews, I decided to submit myself to writing the way I usually do.  *sighs*

So yes, this chapter will be kinda serious as well.

Thanks again to all who reviewed!  Some responses:

Silver Dragon: Nozomi's muses to Faux: How DARE you!!!  *tackle*  -silence- *poke* -silence- *sweatdrop*  -silence- *Nozomi grabs her muses by the neck and makes them bow to Silver Dragon in apology… ^_~ 

Kenta Divina: Honestly, I haven't really thought about what I should get Inu Yasha to do when he wakes up.  I settled for having him play a minor role in this Chapter, and we'll see how he takes this whole Shikon-no-tama-has-been-completed deal in later Chapters.  I have to squeeze Kikyou's appearance in first before he starts muddling his thoughts, hehe.

KellyChan: Thanks!  I'll take note of that, I'll probably refer to them sometimes as Kugutsu, but I'll have to be careful about how I use it.  ^_^ ]

Disclaimer: Inu Yasha and company belong to Rumiko Takahashi.  But for now… *Nozomi grabs Inu Yasha and then runs off with him before the lawyers find out*

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**Chapter 3: Interlude: Shippou**

_- SLAP!! -_

Sango's hand came in contact solidly with Miroku's face.  _You'd think that he would have learned by now,_ she thought to herself.  Her left eye was still twitching from annoyance.

"Just checking to see if you're feeling better, Sango," the monk explained cheekily, looking sheepish as he slowly edged his face away from her palm, which was still outstretched to him.

"By groping me again?!" she said dangerously.  Miroku sweatdropped and raised both hands in front of him.  It was a paltry defense, at best.  She threw him an uppercut [A/N: Worthy of Akane Tendo when she slugs Ranma ^_^ ] that sent him flying to the trees.

"Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…"

She walked over to where Kagome, Inu Yasha and Shippou were eating breakfast.  She didn't even give them a chance to speak.  "Yes, I'm feeling much better," she explained coldly, then grabbed her own bowl of ramen and started eating quickly, ignoring the stupefied expressions on her companions' faces.

Kagome sighed.  Oh well, the mood had to end sooner or later, she thought as she gave her friend curious glances.

_- SLAP!! -_

Sango didn't look up.  "You had better not be making fun of me, Inu Yasha," she growled.

"Keh, like I care about what you and Miroku do to each other.  Anyway, we have company."

They turned to look at him.  Inu Yasha was sitting down cross-legged on the grass.  He had his bowl in his left hand and his right hand was just dropping down from his cheek.  Shippou, who sat on his right side, watched a little speck float to his knee.

"Myouga-_jiji!_" Shippou exclaimed.

"Oi, Myouga, see you finally decided to show up!"

Myouga sighed wistfully.  "What are you saying, Inu Yasha-sama?  I've been trying to catch up with you to help you defeat Naraku, but it appears I'm too late.  You've already dealt with him."

"Yeah yeah, whatever."

Tears started welling in the flea's eyes.  "It's true," he pouted.

There was only the sound of slurping as everyone ate their ramen in companionable silence.

"WHY AREN'T YOU LISTENING TO ME?!?!??!" Myouga wailed loudly.

~*~

Shippou was now slumped against a rock, a small blue foxfire flame dancing in his palm.  He watched as it alternated from burning brighter to dimmer, the changes affected by his concentration.  He had come to realize in the past few weeks that he needed some sort of ability in order to survive their encounter with Naraku, and not be a burden to anyone else as well.

As a child, he only had his simple magic tricks like temporarily transforming his acorns and toys into objects he could use to distract the opponent or run away, which really would not be of much help in an actual battle.  The only real magic he knew for now was his foxfire, which, when he remembered how his father's had burned, was pretty insignificant.  All he could seem to do with it was use it as a light.

But as they approached Naraku's castle, there had been an increase in the level of magic he could use (thanks to a lot of practice), and he was able to help his friends in his own way.

He sighed.  _His friends…_

He wondered how long they would be together.  Sango joined them because she wanted to avenge her family and comrades who died in their own homes, because Naraku led a horde of demons to the Taijiya village.  Miroku joined them because he had to remove the curse of the air void Naraku had bestowed upon him and his forebears before he got swallowed up by his own curse.  Inu Yasha and Kagome had already been together on this journey before he joined them.

_And he joined them because…?_

This question caused Shippou to lose his concentration, and the blue foxfire in his flame died abruptly.  He sat up a little, thinking.  He had met up with Inu Yasha and Kagome when he stole the shards from Kagome so that he could avenge his late father, who had been slain by the Thunder Brothers.  And after Hiten and Manten had been dealt with, he just tagged along for the journey.  After all, he had no one else.

But now… now the Shikon no Tama was whole.  This was the reason why Kagome was here in the first place, right?  She had a duty to complete and protect the jewel.  And Inu Yasha stayed with them because he had originally wanted to see the jewel completed so that he can use it on himself, right?  Now that the shards have been gathered and Naraku defeated, what will become of them?  Sango could go home and restore her village and teach some kids to become demon exterminators.  There's sure to be some demons left, though Naraku had already absorbed quite a number of them.  A couple of less demons to worry about in the future, Shippou thought.  Miroku could go back home and build a temple for some village and be the residing monk there, though he suspected that the monk would probably prefer to tag along with Sango.  Inu Yasha would be free to live peacefully in his forest and maybe even keep protecting Kagome, who would probably become the village miko…

His thoughts trailed off at that point.

Kagome was from another time.  She wasn't from this era.  Would she stay?  Would she keep the jewel here or take it with her?  In her time, there were probably hardly any demons left, and her family's shrine could probably find a way to keep the jewel safe.  Heck, she'd probably be safer there too!  Here, with the Shikon no Tama in her hands, demons would come for it and continue to come for it.  The promise of increasing their powers was too much of a temptation to resist.  Kaede-baba was getting along in years, and wouldn't be able to protect it very well.  Kagome, however, had some miko powers and they were getting stronger as time passed.  She would be able to defend the jewel and the village if given proper tutelage.

But the question was… would she stay?

Shippou wearily slouched back down on the rock and absently picked at the dead twigs lying around.  He had come to think of Kagome as a sister figure.  

He pictured Kagome protecting him from Inu Yasha's temper, remembered how she coddled him all the time, and how she was always close by when he was sleeping.  Of course, he was the one who started sleeping in her traveling futon in the first place.  It gave him a sense of comfort to know that she was someone he could turn to, someone who would protect him.

Like his father.

Shippou's eyes widened and his jaw dropped open as it hit him.  Kagome wasn't just a sister figure.

He had come to think of her as… something like… his…

She was like a surrogate mother to him.

Warmth flooded his heart.  That's what Kagome is to him.  A mother.

As with all children, the time will come when he would eventually go out on his own.  But for now…

Would Kagome leave him?  Would Kagome leave them?

There was also Inu Yasha to consider.  He knew that they were both to stubborn to admit it, but everyone could clearly see how much they liked each other!  Heck, he was still a kid, even if you're counting in demon years, and *he* could see that they liked each other!  When they finally got together…

_Yuuuuccckkkkkkkkkkck!_

That means he would have to start thinking of Inu Yasha as a father more than a bullying older brother.

But there was still the question of whether or not Kagome would stay.

Would she stay?  Would she want to stay?  Can he make her stay?  Can Sango and Miroku make her stay?  Would Inu Yasha demand she stay?  What about the jewel?  What about…

_Arrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhh!_

Kagome had started walking over to Shippou and was surprised to see him sweatdrop, facefault and crash to the ground all at the same time.  She ran the last few steps and found him with swirly circles for eyes.

"Shippou-chan?"

The little kitsune sprang to his feet and shook off the dizzying questions vigorously.  Once he felt that he had gained a little composure, he flashed her the brightest grin.

"I'm alright!"

Kagome smiled at him.  "It's time to make our way back to the village."  She extended her hand out to him.

Shippou glanced at her hand for a moment, then looked up at his surrogate mother's face.  She had such kind eyes, and he knew from the time he had spent with her, that her heart was always in the right place.

He smiled back at her and took her hand, and she reached out to scoop him into her arms.  He lifted himself up on her shoulders as he always did.

"Oi Kagome, Shippou!  We're leaving!"

"Hai!!!"

Shippou heard the laughter in her voice and shook his head.  He was worrying himself too much.  In the end, Kagome would always choose the decision that would have the best and most desirable outcome.  She was that kind of person.  He also knew that when the time comes, it would not be a sorrowful parting, if ever.

For now, he would relish his time with her as they make their way back to Kaede-baba's village.  He felt a little surprised at the thoughts he had nurtured just moments ago, then shook his head, brushing off his worries.  He felt a little more mature than when they started their quest.  Kagome would be proud, he thought.  Her little kitsune was already starting to grow up.

[A/N: Done with Chapter 3!  And just to prove I really wasn't suffering from lack of story plots, the title of Chapter 4 is "When the Winds Howl" (I started writing it when I couldn't figure out a funny plot for Chapter 3).  I'll be posting it sometime tomorrow, I'm in the process of editing it.  And yes, it's going to have Kouga in it (you should've been able to guess from the title).  Toodles! ]


	4. When the Winds Howl

**"What Could Be"**

**An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Nozomi**

[A/N: I had this plot stuck in my head wayyyyy before I got a headstart on Chapter 3, so hooray for you!  ^_^  Didn't get many reviews for Chapter 3 though *pouts*…

Dennisud: Thanks for your reviews for each chapter!  Let me try to answer all the questions as best I can: 1) About Kikyou and all the other characters in the series, don't worry.  My first objective in writing this fic is to provide a sort of "closure" for all the characters.  So yes, a full accounting will be given for everyone.  ^_^  2) Inu Yasha and Kagome *will* eventually get together, just not yet.  Hehehe.  Well, in the anime it doesn't seem like they'll be admitting anything anytime soon, so I'll try to stay in character by developing their relationship… slowly.  3) The gang… I'm getting there…  hang on for a few more chapters!

For everyone: Yeah, now that dennisud commented on it, there would probably others who will, so I'll point it out now.  I wrote this fic with the intention of providing a sort of "closure" for all characters, including Kikyou, no matter how much of a b*tch she seems to be.  ^_^  After all, Kagome is her reincarnation, she can't be all *that* bad.  I *will* however, incorporate a little Kikyou-bashing coz I think she needs it.  Bwahahahaha!!! ]

Disclaimer: Inu Yasha and company belong to Rumiko Takahashi.  *Nozomi glares at the lawyers standing behind her as she types this*

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**Chapter 4: When the Winds Howl**

They had made their way down a part of the mountain when they heard something coming up towards them.  Fast.

Inu Yasha's ears twitched and Kagome heard him mumble something under his breath.  His eyebrows came together, he started growling, and his mouth had turned to a thin line on his face.  It took her a few minutes to figure out what he said, and she wouldn't have been able to guess if she hadn't seen the look of extreme displeasure that had settled on Inu Yasha's face.  The others had already assumed their fighting stances when they first heard the noise, thinking that some demons have finally decided it was safe to come out of hiding now that the power-hungry, evil _jaki_ was gone.

A familiar whirlwind of dust and debris appeared over the path's clearing and the little party visibly relaxed.  The whirlwind stopped right in front of Kagome, a cloud of dust exploding at her feet as the newcomer came to a halt.  It was a demon alright, but…

"Kagome."

They had all completely forgotten about Kouga.

He had been with them for a part of the journey up the mountains to confront Naraku.  Their pack had also gotten wind of Naraku's hiding place in the Northeast, and they had traveled towards the source of the evil _jaki_.  After all, Kouga had his own score to settle with Naraku, what with the slaughter of his kinsmen a few months back.  When he and his men arrived at the path where Inu Yasha's group had their encounter with Kohaku, he had caught hold of Kagome's scent and rushed ahead of his pack to catch up with them.

This had been much to Inu Yasha's irritation of course, as Kouga never could resist showing him up in front of Kagome.

As always, Kagome tolerated his presence, and had invited him to travel with them until his pack caught up.  And as always, he and our favorite dog demon got on each other's nerves.  They had insulted each other to the point where Kouga finally challenged him for the right to Kagome's hand, and Inu Yasha had drawn out his sword, with Kagome protesting and sweatdropping in the background.  They were in the thick of what promised to be a good brawl when the saimyoushou suddenly came into the picture.

Needless to say, another of Naraku's puppets joined them.

It was sheer luck that nobody in their group had been injured during the encounter, because at that time, Naraku had only one purpose and one target.

Kouga had lost the Shikon shards on his legs that day, and would have lost his life as well had it not been for Inu Yasha.  It was because Inu Yasha saved him that Naraku's bees were able to escape.  This didn't sit well with Kouga, but nevertheless, he had grudgingly thanked Inu Yasha for this help.  As soon as his pack caught up with them, they had left him to the care of his fellow wolves, with the instructions to take him home and nurse him back to health.

Apparently, his full-demon blood had allowed him to recover from his injuries quickly, because he was now standing in front of them.

Or *was* standing in front of them.

Inu Yasha whipped his head around to the side where Kagome had been walking beside him and sure enough, there was Kouga, with his arms around her.

_With. His. Arms. Around. Her._

Kouga seemed oblivious to the guttural growls that were now loudly coming from Inu Yasha's throat.  "Kagome, I'm glad to see you're alright.  Did you finish Naraku off completely?" he queried, carefully examining her from head to toe.

"Yup, Inu Yasha got rid of him," Kagome answered cheerfully, as Kouga turned her around in place, sniffing, and patting her back and shoulders to check for injuries he could not smell. "I'm all right, Kouga-kun, Inu Yasha made sure I didn't get hurt."

Kouga remained silent and gave her another look-over before he was satisfied she was really unharmed.

"You did something right for once, puppy boy."

Inu Yasha crossed his arms over his chest and smirked.  "It's more than I can say for you, puny wolf."

"…"

_Damn it, he's right.  That stupid last battle with the kugutsu almost killed me.  Then the shards were taken out of my legs, so I had to depend on just my demon blood to keep me going.  I was alive, but I couldn't go with them to confront Naraku.  I don't know what happened up there, but Kagome could have been killed with dog-face, because I wasn't around._

He turned his back on Inu Yasha and took Kagome's hands into his own, pulling her aside to put some distance between them and his rival.

"Oi!"

Kouga decided to just ignore the dog demon.  He looked at Kagome, who now had a bewildered look on her face.  He took a deep breath, and blurted out the reason why he had come to them.

"Kagome, I've come to claim you as my mate."

Kouga went down on one knee and gave Kagome an expectant grin, his hands still holding hers.

"It's all finished.  There is nothing else but you."

Everyone stood in stunned silence.  Kouga had always called Kagome his woman, and this scene wasn't really new to anyone, except that before, he had always tried to steal her away, or he carried her off to safety as demons attacked them.  It was always him trying to take Kagome from her friends.  But this time…

This time he was waiting for her to accept his claim and go with him.

Willingly.

Willingly submit herself to him as his woman, and walk away together with _him_.

It was _her_ decision to make.

Kagome didn't know what to say.  She had long before gotten used to his odd possessiveness with her, and she had never really denied or accepted that claim.  She was usually too embarrassed by his outbursts to do much.  But now, he was doing this, in front of everyone.

It was either a yes or no.

There was no in-between, and she didn't know how to tell him.  She never did, which is why she never said anything.  Neither did she have the heart to put him down, because he's a nice guy, and she considered him to be a very good friend.  She did not like to be put in the middle like this.  Kouga was kind, and he had been a welcome ally.

But nothing more.  She had never led him to believe otherwise.  Had she?

Kagome bit her lip.  Inu Yasha was the one she wanted to be kneeling in front of her right now, but he loved Kikyou.  She would not be able to change the fact that he had chosen the dead miko over her, but she had accepted it and it had been her choice to stay here in the Sengoku Jidai with him.  If not for him, then to collect all the Shikon shards, at least.

But the Shikon no Tama was whole now, in her protection.  And if Inu Yasha was going to end up with Kikyou in the end, there was no reason for her to linger too long in this era anymore.  She glanced momentarily to the dog demon in question.  He was looking directly at her, his face taut.  He looked tense, she realized.  Was he worried about what she was going to answer Kouga?

Aside from being her protector, which Inu Yasha took to heart, he thought nothing more of her, right?  Kikyou was still around, after all.  As long as she walked this earth, Kagome would not stand a chance of winning him over.  In fact, even though she had pinned him to the _Goshinboku_ tree, Inu Yasha still kept those feelings he had of her.  Kagome would never hear him profess his love for her, would not have memories of his lips on hers.  She envied Kikyou in those moments that she had caught her and Inu Yasha in the forest.  But despite knowing what she did, she had chosen to stay with him here, because she could not deny what she felt in her heart.

She knelt down so that she could be face to face with Kouga.

"Kouga…I can't be your… I can't be with you," she started gently, in a low tone of voice, wondering if the others could hear her.

She knew that Kouga was about to protest, so she covered his mouth with her palm.  "It wouldn't be fair to you, Kouga-kun.  I-- I'm-- I can't be with you." She winced, knowing she sounded lame and redundant, but what could she say?

Kouga stared at her for a moment.  Then he pressed his lips to Kagome's palm, which was still on his mouth, and kissed it.

"Kagome, I love you."

There, he said it.

A loud crash reminded them that they had an audience.  Kagome jumped up at the noise, but Kouga merely turned his head in Inu Yasha's direction.

He had slammed his sword on a rock and was now stomping towards them.

Kagome had to sit down.  Her knees were feeling weak all of a sudden.  No boy had ever declared his love for her, and it…

It felt good.

Inu Yasha was fuming.  He was a dog hanyou, for crying out loud!  He heard everything they said.  He was sure Shippou, Myouga and Kirara heard it too, with their demon hearing and all.  Damn him!  Damn that stupid wolf!

Kouga got to his feet when Inu Yasha stopped right behind him.  He whipped his head around, and came face to face with his rival.

"I can't stay around to play with you today, puppy boy."

With those words, he winked at Kagome, and sped down the mountain again.

It was Shippou who broke the awkward silence that came after that departure.  "He sure can move fast even without the Shikon shards in his legs."

~*~

Kouga was pissed as he sped down the mountain.  His pack was waiting at the bottom, where they had been camping since he had lost his Shikon shards.  Kagome had told them to take him home, but he wanted to be nearby in case they needed help.  His demon blood would allow him to heal quickly enough, after all.

He had feared the worst when the evil _jaki_ that surrounded the top of the mountain had burst forth into a black abyss that threatened to envelop the midnight sky.  They had all watched as thousands of demons surged from the abyss like a herd of rampaging bulls in chaos.

Then flashes of bright light filled the darkness until it exploded into a blinding wave.  Kouga had seen Inu Yasha's attack too many times to be ignorant of where the light was coming from.  Kagome would stay safe as long as puppy boy kept his wits about him.

He sneered.  Inu Yasha.  Damn, but he hated being interrupted by Inu-_koro_.  He had no rights over Kagome whatsoever!  He didn't even know how lucky he was that she stood by his side.

The wolf thought about Kagome, a smile beginning to play across his lips.  At first, she had been nothing more than a human that could detect Shikon shards.  She was useful then.  That's what made her appealing.  That's what caught his interest in the first place.  But as he got to see more of her character, her appeal had changed.  He began to look at her as a possible mate.  And the more he thought about it, the more he started thinking of her as his woman, even though she was always in the company of that dog-turd.

What surprised him was that he started to have feelings for her.

Mates are chosen for their strength and their ability to keep the pack together.  Kagome definitely had these traits, and his brothers already considered her as their sister the moment she had come to their aid.  She had defended them and protected them as best she could; as a clan leader would.  But she also had a nurturing side.  She was gentle, kind and spirited, and these softer traits endeared her further to him and his pack.

Kouga wondered if Inu-_koro_ had already made any claims on Kagome.  He doubted it though, because Kagome had never spurned his advances.  True, she didn't openly accept them either, but the mere fact that Inu-_koro_ never called Kagome his woman goes to show that she was still available.

With this in mind, he slowed his descent and could now feel the wind picking up.  The breeze made it easier for him to glide down smoothly along the path.  He chuckled.  As long as Inu-_koro_ did not make any claims on Kagome, the words he had given her earlier would sway her to become his.  If they didn't, the lack of action on puppy boy's part would convince her that she was better off with him.  He started laughing.

Kouga knew Inu-_koro_ liked Kagome and Kagome liked Inu-_koro_, it was really obvious.  Only _kami_-sama knows why she likes the puppy dog, but Kouga was sure he could win her over.

As long as Inu-_koro_ denied his feelings for Kagome, Kouga had the upper hand.

After all, he had already told her he loved her.

Kouga's pack looked up to the mountains in confusion as they picked up the sound of a lone wolf's joyful howling carried by the winds.


	5. Two Swords, Two Brothers

**"What Could Be"**

**An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Nozomi**

[A/N: Yahoo!  One of my favorite authors has finally read and reviewed my story!  *glomps on to Kaminari*  You guys should read his fic "Hanyou no Kon".  I HIGHLY recommend it!

Kaminari: I posted Chapter 4 a few minutes before I saw your review, so you won't be waiting a week.  ^_~

Thanks to everyone for their praise!!!  *ears flapping*  It made me finish this chapter right away, with a lot of heart and soul put into it.  I like this chapter best so far, and hope you like it too.

Disclaimer: Inu Yasha and company belong to Rumiko Takahashi.  But I would happily accept him as a gift for my birthday…

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**Chapter 5: Two Swords, Two Brothers**

Solitude agreed with him.

He was standing close to the edge of a cliff, surveying the vast lands below him in peaceful contemplation.  It had been quite a while since he's had the opportunity to be alone in silence like this.  They had been traveling for a long time, searching out Naraku.

His mind should be clear now, because an enemy had been defeated.

But it was not so.  He found that he had more questions left unanswered at present than when he had begun this whole affair.  Fingering the hilt of the treasured sword at his side, he wondered once again why his father had given him this fang, and why his half-brother the other one.  Couldn't he have done more with the other sword?  Didn't it seem that Father bestowed the wrong sword upon the wrong son?

And what the hell was wrong with him?  He and his half-brother had been at each other's throats for as long as he could remember.  There was such animosity between them over the years that he could not even recall why they hated each other in the first place.  In that last battle with Naraku, they had even been able to set aside their differences for a moment and had worked together.

Surprisingly, working together had more benefits than either of them realized.

It had been a fluke, really, that they discovered how two fangs can be wielded separately, but have their powers combined.

He and his half-brother had been ignoring each other, individually attacking Naraku from the front.  Naraku, of course, with all the demons he had ingested, was much too powerful for their attacks.  They were both surprised that the _Bakuryuhaa_ hadn't taken him down with one stroke.  He was weakened, but was quickly regaining his strength.

But Tessaiga and Tenseiga seemed to have realized how strong the enemy was, for they called to each other.  Father had been with them in that battle, when he and his half-brother both raised their fangs, and together, they unleashed another ultimate attack on the evil bastard.

The _ki_ that emanated from Tessaiga and Tenseiga was unbelievable.  The swords commanded their actions, and from the movement of the wounds of the winds of the _Bakuryuhaa_, it appeared that Tenseiga was fueling the fury of the Tetsuaiga's destructive power.  Tenseiga's winds had formed a smooth counter-clockwise spiral core at the center of the focused _ki_, and Tetsuaiga's violent winds encircled the spiral core in a clockwise wave.  It was looking like a drill with two spinning tips: one on the inside, and one on the outside.  None of them had known about this attack.  Nothing had prepared any of them for the kind of power that exploded from this combined _Bakuryuhaa_.

This was what destroyed Naraku.

Funny how one experience fighting alongside his half-brother changed how he felt about him.  Oh yes, he still hated his guts and had no doubt that his brother still felt that way too.  It would be awhile before that feeling went away.

But the desire to kill him or even beat his face to a bloody pulp no longer felt appealing.

He was not anxious to try rekindling family ties, no… too many things have happened.  They would not forgive and forget so easily, both of them being as stubborn as they were.  Both of them having too much pride to back down.

He had to chuckle at the irony.  Perhaps he and his half-brother hated each other immensely because they were so much alike.

There were other things in common too.  Looking over to his traveling companions at the campsite behind him, he let his eyes wander over to _her_.

She really was beautiful in his eyes.  It may be his imagination, but she made his heart feel lighter.  Her laughter was sunshine and her spirit was a refreshing breeze in the summer.  She sparkled like diamonds.

He would never admit it, but he would always protect her.  He would not allow any harm to come to her, and pity the evildoer that tried to hurt her.

_Listen to yourself,_ he chided his thoughts.  _You're getting soft._

And it was a _human_ girl that did this to him.

Was it because of her?  Was this how human women change the lives of their men?  He wondered how his father had selected a human for his wife.  He wondered how she changed the life of the late Demon Lord of the Western Lands.

He had been a wise and powerful _youkai_.  He had known that his two sons would never come to the best of terms on their own, so he created two swords from his own fangs.

The Tessaiga that could take a hundred lives with one swing.

The Tenseiga that could give a hundred lives with one swing.

And again, he wondered.  Wondered why his father had given him this sword, and given his half-brother the other one.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that she startled him when she pulled on his sleeve.  He looked at her and gave her one of his rare smiles.

She laughed.

Turning around, he started to walk back to the campsite, then paused in his steps.  He seemed to be thinking about something, then he turned to her and offered her his hand.  She looked to him in surprise and he was given the joy of watching her eyes light up in pleasure.  She took his hand.

"Where are we going now, Sesshomaru-sama?"

He glanced back at the lands below the cliff before focusing his attention back to her.

"Home."

She nodded at him to show she understood, and they walked together away from the cliff.  Sesshomaru ignored the look of surprise that registered on Jaken's face-- it was the first time he held Rin's hand as they walked together.  It would be a long journey home to the Western Lands, but it would do good to get some rest on familiar territory.

And maybe while he was there, he would find the answers he seeked.

[A/N: Did I make you think it was Inu Yasha doing all the thinking?  That was my purpose.  Hope I succeeded.  ^_^ ]


	6. Camp

**"What Could Be"**

**An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Nozomi**

[A/N: Sorry for the delay, work has been hectic.  Everytime I start to work on this fic, I get dispatched a new case.  At home, my brother hogs my computer.  Grrrr…

Okay, somebody commented I lack fluff.  -_-  Gimme a few more chapters, please.  If I start with all the fluff now, I'll be ending this fic sooner than I planned…  ^_^

Damn.  Now you know how this will end (Duh, as if the "Romance" genre didn't tip it off already…).

Creativity: Oh yeah, you're right.  Thanks for reminding me!  Hehehe, I've made the changes to the bits about Tenseiga and Tetsuaiga.

NamelessMoonshine: It took a lot of editing for me to get the italics in.  What I can't seem to figure out is how to center my text.  -_-  Anyway, if you're using Microsoft Word, just save it as an HTML file, then use any HTML editor to find and replace any instance of italic words.  Microsoft will format them using syntax that FF.NET will not recognize, so just correct it with a basic HTML italics tag. ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha and company, though I beg to differ…

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**Chapter 6: Camp**

When they arrived at the bottom of the mountain, it was devastating to see that the forest below was not spared from the destruction that Naraku's _jaki_ had caused.

It was a wasteland at the top of the mountain where their final battle had taken place.  The last surge of evil energy when Naraku ingested all those new demons had killed all vegetation that had been thriving up there.  Here below, it was not much different.  True, the immediate area around the mountain had already been withering away to begin with since Naraku claimed the mountaintop, but it was worse than before they had climbed their way up to the castle.

Despite the sun already beginning to set over the horizon, they did not wish to linger too long in such depressing surroundings so they moved on until it was too dark to continue.

They made themselves busy setting up camp in a small enclosure of trees.  Kagome had laid some semi-large stones around in a circle in the center of the clearing.  Shippou went with Kirara to look for some dried twigs and branches they could use for a fire.  Sango and Miroku had volunteered to try to catch some game for their supper.  Up in the trees, Inu Yasha kept watch over all of them as he always did.

Inu Yasha's senses remained sharp around him, keeping his ears out for Miroku and Sango while he stayed close to Kagome.  He didn't have to worry about the kitsune brat and Kirara.  They were both demons, and Kirara could watch over Shippou if the need arose.  It didn't really matter though, as he doubted that any demon might come to attack them tonight.  But considering that Kagome had the now-complete Shikon no Tama in her care, he wasn't taking any chances.

When Naraku was close to completing the shards, they had encountered very few demons along their way.  Myouga had previously disclosed to them that many weaker demons were in hiding, because they did not want to be absorbed by the evil jaki that had been rampaging throughout the lands, collecting strong demons and absorbing them in its wake.  They knew that this evil jaki had control of a great number of Shikon shards, and they weren't messing with unknown enemies.  So they hid.

_Well, that bastard is gone now.  I'm sure many have felt the evil presence disappear.  Those who had hidden away may decide that it would be safe for them to try to claim the Shikon no Tama from a lesser threat_, Inu Yasha mused, as he glided agilely from treetop to treetop.

He kept this up for a while until he finally heard the voices of two humans approaching their camp.    Silently, he jumped down to stand beside Kagome, who was already starting to light the campfire with some matches.

"Sorry it took so long, it's not easy to find much game in these parts," the monk apologized as he held up two fowls.  "I think a lot of the animals have moved away from this area."

Shippou nodded.  "It's not hard to see why.  Even Kirara and I took awhile to find decent wood for burning."

"Here, I'll get started on those," Sango's hands grazed lightly over the monk's fingers as she took the game from him, earning her a smile.  She blushed prettily and kept her head bowed as she walked to a spot where she planned to prepare their food.

Kagome decided this was a good time to start a bonding session with the older girl, so she left Inu Yasha's side with the excuse that she was going to help.

Kirara had curled up on the ground at the base of a tree, and Shippou was resting his head on the cat demon, their long trek obviously having worn him out as he had decided today to "grow up" and walk together with them instead of riding on their shoulders as he used to do.  Miroku walked silently over to Inu Yasha as they watched Kagome and Sango huddle into a section of the clearing and start whispering.  Inu Yasha wanted to listen in on their conversation [A/N: dog hearing, remember?], but a comment from the other boy put his mind elsewhere.

"So what are you going to do about Kagome now, Inu Yasha?"

The question frazzled him so much that he had to ponder about it before pretending indifference.  "What do you mean?" he crossed his arms over his chest, assuming his I-don't-care position.

"Don't play the fool with me, Inu Yasha.  We've traveled together too long for that to work.  If you don't make a move soon, you're going to lose her."

He tried not to let on how Miroku's words put a twinge of fear in him.  "Lose her how?  It's not like anyone's going to take her away from me, I'll protect her as always.  Naraku's gone, and we have the Shikon no Tama.  Humans aren't a threat to any of us since she's human too, and I can beat them easily.  The only demons I have to worry about are the ones who are after the Shikon no Tama, and as long as I'm with her…"

"Until how long will that be?" Miroku interrupted.  The monk's question gave Inu Yasha pause from his tirade, so he pressed on.  "Remember, the Shikon no Tama is whole now.  There's no reason for Kagome to stay here.  Don't you see?  She no longer has an obligation to anyone in this era since the jewel is whole.  There aren't any more shards left to find."

"B- but someone… she needs to stay behind to protect the jewel…"

"Any miko can protect the jewel, Inu Yasha.  As soon as someone else can take on the responsibility, she can continue her life back in her old world.  And if I recall correctly…"

"Without the Shikon no Tama in her hands, she can't cross over to this era…" Inu Yasha finished weakly.  The dog demon was silent for a while until he noticed that Miroku was observing him.  He quickly went defensive.  "Keh!  It's not like she needs to stay here, you know!  She's free to do whatever the hell she pleases.  Not like I care that she's going back, I'll finally be free of her."

But he finished his statement halfheartedly.  He was lying and they both knew it.  He did care.  In fact, he cared a whole lot.  They had just finished their quest and now Miroku was presenting him with questions he didn't feel ready to tackle just yet.  As he and Miroku continued to look blankly at each other, Inu Yasha wondered if the monk had any idea how Kagome made him feel.  He shook his head.

"I'll keep watch.  Call me when we're ready to eat."

Miroku sighed as he watched Inu Yasha leap up to the nearest tree and continue on to nearby branches, starting his nightly patrol.  He wondered if the dog demon would think about what they just discussed.  Inu Yasha was his friend.  After all, you can't travel with people for almost three years without nurturing some sort of friendship, can you?  With such a small group, certainly it would be obvious when two members liked each other, wouldn't it?  It's a friend's duty to give their friends opinions (based on observation, of course) and look out for them, isn't it?

He absently rubbed his neck.  He hoped he was able to at least *get* the dog demon to *start* thinking about sorting out his feelings for Kagome.  Glancing at the pair of heads still whispering to each other on the other side of the campsite, he thought about taking his own advice.

Kagome and Sango had been whispering contentedly about nonsense, keeping their banter light, when they noticed Inu Yasha take to the trees.  Knowing that Inu Yasha would no longer be able to hear them whispering, Kagome turned to her friend.

"Sango-chan," the quiet seriousness in her voice causing Sango to look at her with a puzzled expression.  "is everything alright?"

This wasn't the first time Kagome asked her that since they left the mountaintop.  "Yes, of course, I'm just fine."  The older girl averted her eyes so that Kagome would not see that she was lying, but she had been unable to mask the pain in her tone of voice.  She put on a bright, fake smile.  "It's good to be able to breathe safely again."

Kagome nodded, understanding what it meant.  Chasing after Naraku these last three years was something like being suffocated in the dark.  Never knowing what would happen to them, always worrying about danger lurking everywhere they went.  It was if they had been trudging along a deep cave, unable to get out into the light.  Until a few days ago…

She looked at her friend again and tried to think of how to put a smile on her lips.

"Miroku has been very helpful to you, _ne_?"

She succeeded.  The corners of Sango's mouth turned upward into a soft smile.  "Yes."

They sat there together, not saying a word, the comfortable silence between them occasionally being disturbed by the sound of game fowls being cleaned.

"Kagome-chan, what will you do now?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, will you be going home now?  To finish… school?  Will you be staying in your time?"

Kagome sighed.  "To be honest, Sango-chan, I don't know yet.  I didn't want to start thinking about that until we got closer to the village."

The taijiya nodded, understanding completely.

"What about you?

"I- I'm not sure.  I was hoping Kaede-baba would let me stay in their village with them, seeing as I haven't had a village to go home to for a while now."

"I believe you will be most welcome with them, Sango-chan."

"Thank you."

"What will you do about Miroku-sama?"

"…"

"Gomen, gomen…" she apologized.  "It's probably none of my business…"

"No, Kagome-chan, it's just… I don't really want to think about the future too much either, same as you.  He and I have become close over the years together, but after all that's happened, I'm not sure if I want to bridge the gap between friends and lovers just yet," she smiled ruefully at her friend.  Kagome smiled back.  "Besides, he has not made his feelings known to me yet.  I believe he cares for me deeply, but…" she paused, glancing over to the monk who was still standing in the spot where he and Inu Yasha had been talking, apparently lost in thought.  "I have yet to…"

Her eyes widened.

Kagome chuckled.  "I was wondering when you were going to notice that you admitted it to me.  I really thought you were going to deny it."

Blushing furiously, Sango resumed preparing their meal.

She had just honestly admitted to Kagome how much she liked Miroku.

"Kagome," Shippou approached them, rubbing his eyes.  "Aren't we going to eat yet?"

"You sound like Inu Yasha," she admonished, standing up.  They were done quickly, all they needed to do now was cook it.

The kitsune did not like this.  "I DO NOT!"

She grinned at him to show she was joking, and he pouted.  "I'll go call Inu Yasha.  He won't like it if we start eating without him, and the food's ready to be cooked.  Shippou, please stay here with Sango and Miroku."

"Take Kirara with you, we don't know how far he is," Sango called out, poring over the camp fire.

"Thank you!" she tossed them a wave and went out in search of the dog demon.  The campsite was already beginning to smell delicious.

[A/N: Ah heck, this didn't end the way it should have.  -_-  I'll put it in the next chapter. ]


	7. Interlude: Kagome and Inu Yasha

**"What Could Be"**

**An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Nozomi**

[A/N: Nooooooo!!!  19 days since my last Chapter and update.  -_-  A lot of things have been happening this month.  I moved back home from my apartment and will be moving again next month.  Yes, that's a lot of furniture to move around.  My boyfriend (and source of romantic inspiration) has decided to go back to his hometown (about 450 miles away!) to start a business, so I spent the rest of my spare time with him before finally bringing him to the airport two days ago.  Well, now I have more time to write this fic.  ^_^  So here we go again…

Burnsybabe: What's cruel?

Hanyou-Girl25: This is how Chapter 6 was supposed to end.  ^_^  But I realized that I had about 5 pages worth already, so I decided to put the ending into a separate chapter, which is what you'll be seeing now. ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha and company.  [What?  I had to run out of funny stuff/sarcasm sooner or later]

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**Chapter 7: Interlude: Kagome and Inu Yasha**

There had been a time when she would have been scared to wander through the dark alone.  Even back home in her time, she never stayed out too late for fear of what may be lurking in shadows.  Thugs, kidnappers, creepy crawly insects.  Here, she had demons to worry about.

_But I am not scared_, she thought.  _Not anymore._  Here in the Sengoku Jidai, she was strong and brave.  Yes, she was only a "mere" mortal, but that never deterred her from doing what needed to be done and going where most humans fear to go.  Somehow, in the years they have been trying to collect the shards, she had learned not to be afraid of the dark.  She had learned to show no fear.  For someone who had no powers…  well, aside from her purifying arrows… this was something to marvel at.

It also helped that Kirara was in her big, menacing demon form, walking beside her.

_Ahehehe…_ Kagome thought sheepishly.

_No, even if Kirara had not come with me, I would still not be afraid._

_Is it because I know he will always be around to protect me?_  Kagome stopped at the foot of the tallest tree, and looked up, knowing she would find him.

Sure enough, there was Inu Yasha.  He was sitting down, his back resting against the trunk of the tree with one leg on a branch and the other leg dangling freely.  The sleeves of his _haori_ billowed gently with the breeze.  The look on his face was solemn, as if he was lost in thought.

This would have surprised Sango and the others-- in fact, Kirara sat down on her hind legs, looking questioningly up at the hanyou.  But Kagome understood him better.  She stood silently at the foot of the tree and waited for him to realize her presence.

Inu Yasha's gaze was steady on the vast expanse of treetops that littered the scenery.  He always sat on one of the tallest trees when he kept watch, for the simple and obvious reason that it was easier to spot anyone and anything that might be headed their way.  However, his task was painfully easier today, because most of the treetops had no leaves nor fruit to cover possible intruders.  His canine eyesight allowed him to clearly see the ground where bare branches and twigs could not cover, and his hearing would tell him if anything approached.

He was a little distracted though.  The last battle with Naraku confused him.  It had been hard, and there was no reason to doubt that he was dead.  No, that wasn't what confused him.  What confused him was how the Tessaiga's and Tensaiga's winds… fused together to form an ultimate attack.  How the hell could two very opposite swords seemingly complement each other?

And Sesshomaru.  He had come to his aid.  Yes, his half-brother had seeked out Naraku for his own purposes, but in the end, they had destroyed the bastard together.

It was the only thing they had done together in their lifetimes as brothers.

_What had father been thinking?_ he mused.  _Had father known all along that joining the power of two already-powerful swords would deliver an attack that could only be described as incredible?_

It confused him to no end.  He shook his head, and made up his mind to go home to the Western Lands to find some answers after he saw Kagome and the others safely back to the village.

_Kagome._

The corners of his mouth lifted into a small smile as images of Kagome played across his head.  How often had she intruded his thoughts?  How often did thinking of her bring such feelings of longing to him?  How could having her beside him make him feel…

_Complete._

His heart felt like it would burst out of his chest.  That's how she made him feel.  She accepted him for all he was.  They argued, they fought, he yelled at her, she sat him, and they bickered with each other endlessly over differences in opinion.  He constantly annoyed her and she never ceased to infuriate him.  And yet she stayed by his side and he continued to protect her.

As he absently rubbed at the ache in his chest, his fingers brushed across the beaded rosary hanging around his neck.  He rolled the beads in his hands.  This is what made him stick by her side in the beginning.  When Kaede-baba had put it on him, he had been furious, and even more so when Kagome spoke out the spell that would brand him as her servant.  He didn't want to be around a reincarnation of the woman who had betrayed him.  But he needed to stay close to her because he could not remove it, and he needed her to get it off.  That's how it had been at the before.

_That was almost three years ago.  Now, I can't stand to be away from her.  I need to know that she's safe, that she's nearby.  I want to be around her to protect her.  Always._

He blinked.  Was this how he really felt about her?  He knew he liked her, and that she liked him enough to stay with him.  They were friends, right?

_Is it really just friendship?  Or is there more?_

Inu Yasha was very much perplexed now.  He had always been too busy trying to find Naraku, trying to keep all of them safe, been too busy with their quest to really think about anything else than the shards and the perils they had to go through to get them.  But that's all gone now, they could lead normal lives again, and he was thinking thoughts he would never have bothered with before.

Damn that.  Now, he was actually *thinking*!  Was age finally catching up to him?

But he needed to think.  Think about the next few days and the next steps to take.

_She's going to go home._

The ache in his chest would not stop now.  _It's almost as if I love her too much to let her go._

_Love?_

_Kagome?_

_No.  Yes.  I don't know._

_Kikyou?_

_Yes.  No.  I'm not sure anymore._

"Inu Yasha?"

He was jarred out of his thoughts as the familiar voice reached him.  He looked down below him and found Kagome looking up at him with concern in her eyes.  He stood up and jumped down the tree.

Kagome watched him come down.  She had been worried about the look in his face in the last few minutes, and that was what compelled her to call out to him.  She watched him walk slowly to her, his eyes once again guarded.

"What do you want?"  His voice was gruff.

"I-- I came to call you for dinner," she told him hesitantly, unsure how to react.  He stopped a few inches in front of her.

"Kagome?"

"Yes?"

"Will… will you be going home?"

She was startled.  It was the question she had no ready answer for, even though Sango-chan had already asked her the question.  And she had especially not been prepared to hear the question from Inu Yasha.

She bowed her head.  "I honestly don't know yet."

Apparently, her answer didn't satisfy him because he asked again.  "Do you want to?  Go home, I mean?"

"Of course I do."

"I see."

The stood in silence for a moment before Inu Yasha told her that they should go back to the campsite before the others worried.  She didn't move.

Inu Yasha looked at her, with her head bowed.  He could not see her eyes, nor her face, could not make out her expression or what she was feeling right now.  Maybe he should not have asked her the question.

"Are you angry?"

"No," she replied, her voice barely a whisper.  But she knew he heard her.

Again, there was an awkward silence.

He was beginning to worry and worrying made him say things without thinking.  "What the hell is wrong with you??"

He regretted his words as she flinched, knowing he should not have said what he did.  He had no right to make her stay nor to be angry at her if she didn't want to stay.

"Do you want me to stay?"

She was looking at her feet when she asked that question, and she was preparing herself for his reply.  She just knew he was going to say something like _"Keh, why would I want you to stay?"_

Inu Yasha caught himself before saying the words he knew she was expecting from him.  They knew each other so well that way.

"Yes, I do."

"!"

"Ow!"

He was so close to her that she hit his chin when her head shot up in surprise.  He absently rubbed at his chin, remaining silent, and watched Kagome as she rubbed her head, looking at him.

Kagome could feel tears brimming her eyes.  He wanted her to stay.

He was now wondering what he could have possibly said wrong this time and he was at a loss.

He couldn't yell at her.

He didn't want to start a fight, not now.

He could make her angry, as he always did on purpose, but he didn't think she'd respond in anger tonight.

He couldn't leave her here, not alone.  He would never leave her alone.

He couldn't bear to see her cry.

It was times like these that Inu Yasha would surprise himself and go completely out of his usual character.  And surprise himself he did.

In fact, he surprised both of them.

He pulled Kagome into his arms until he closed the distance between them.  He circled his arms around her waist and back and reveled in the warmth of having her so close to him.  He buried his mouth into her hair, close to her ear, and whispered tenderly he was sorry if he hurt her.

Kagome had first stood in shock, but as the tone of his voice soothed her senses, she felt her own arms wrap around his back, and her palms felt his tense muscles relax as she returned his embrace.  She felt tingles across her skin where his hands were, and more so when he whispered in her ear, his lip briefly touching against the sensitive nerves on her earlobe.

Inu Yasha's head was swimming.  What was he doing?  His heart was racing and his body felt like it was on fire!  Having her close to him like this was overpowering his senses, and it felt. So. Damn. Right.

She was thinking that this was how she wanted to be held by the one she loved.

_Love?_

_Inu Yasha?_

The mere thought slammed her back down to reality.

Yes, she did love Inu Yasha.

But he didn't love her, did she?  He loved the woman who came before her.

_Kikyou._

It was enough to make her reluctantly pull out of his embrace.  She plastered what she hoped would pass as a genuine smile on her face as she felt him slowly draw away from her as well.

His brow was creased with concern that he had done something wrong.  The smile on her face did not fool him.  He was about to ask her a question when she spoke.

"I want to go home…"

He tried not to show emotion.

She decided to be more honest.

"But I want to stay with you as well."

She saw relief flood his face even though he remained still.

He watched the smile reach her eyes and, he knew it was for real this time.

"Let's go back to camp."

[A/N: I confounded myself.]


	8. Hatred's Price

**"What Could Be"**

**An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Nozomi**

[A/N: This is taking a toll on my imagination.  ^_^  I'm not getting enough reviews!  @_@

badgerwolf: Well, the Shikon no Tama *will* be used in the end.  The end of the Shikon no Tama's existence will be shown in the last few chapters of this fic, whenever that may be.  I haven't quite gotten to the middle of my story plot yet, hehe.  As for the long chapters, I didn't want to make them too long as they get tiring to read.  Well, I know I feel that way when I read a long chapter in a fic.  And too-short chapters are disappointing, so I'm going for a length that's just right.

Hanyou-Girl25: You are my most welcome reviewer!  Thank you so much!  *hugz* ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha and company.  *shniff*

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**Chapter 8: Hatred's Price**

They were walking side by side towards the campsite, their hands nor fingers never touching.  Something had happened between them, they knew.  It didn't seem like the right time to raise questions they had no answer to.  It was far more comfortable to remain like this, for now.

"There you are!  We've been worried!"

Sango hurried towards her friend.  "Kirara came back without you, but Shippou translated to us that she had left you with Inu Yasha," she started.  "But it took you guys some time to get back so…"

"Have you settled your differences?" Miroku asked.

The innocent question caused Kagome and Inu Yasha to blush.

"A-ano…"

"Keh!  There was nothing to settle!  Why the hell would I want to talk any sense into this stupid girl anyway!"

"_OSUWARI_!"

_-- WHAM --_

"Inu Yasha _baka_!" Kagome muttered as she stomped over to the warmth of the campfire, taking her seat between Shippou and Kirara.

Sango and Miroku gave each other glances and sighed.

It was pretty much a quiet dinner.  When they had all finished and gotten ready to sleep, Inu Yasha once again took his usual position on a branch in the tallest tree in their clearing.  All throughout the evening, he could not remove the memory of how Kagome felt in his arms.

Was this how he wanted to feel about her?

_Love?_

_Kagome?_

_I want to go home._

_But I want to stay with you as well._

He wanted her to stay.  He wanted it badly, but he could not explain to himself why it mattered so much to him.  When Kikyou…

_Kikyou…_ his eyes clouded over with sadness as he thought of the woman he had wanted to become human for.  He looked down at Kagome's sleeping form in the clearing below him.  They were so similar to each other, and yet they were not.

He lifted his eyes to study the countless stars in the sky above him and let his thoughts drift, wondering if Kikyou still hated him as much as the last time they saw each other.

_~*~_

Somewhere not too far away, a group of _shinigamachi_ circled the woman they served as their master as they poured more dead souls into her.

Kikyou still could not move freely.  She cursed herself for her stupidity.  That Naraku… she knew he would betray her as soon as he had completed the Shikon no Tama.  She had known right from the very start that a demon as black and as powerful as he was could not be trusted.  She had prepared for his betrayal and had even expected it.

After all, she was going to betray him too.  The only reason she had ever helped him to gain the shards was so that she could be the one to destroy him.  The bastard had wreaked havoc on her life.  

As Onigumo, he had been nothing but a vegetable, surviving on her kindness.  Her stupidity, rather.  He had lusted after her and the jewel that could grant him whatever he wanted.  It was what changed him.

As Naraku, he had fooled her and Inu Yasha.  He had turned their love for one another into a game.  He played with them as his pawns.  It was unforgivable.  His act had caused her death, and the hatred that grew inside of her as a result had condemned her soul to hell.

If she was going to spend eternity in hell, she might as well make the best of it.

When she had returned to this realm in a body of earth and clay, her hatred of Inu Yasha consumed her mind, her heart, her soul.  When she opened her eyes to find him standing in front of her, she had been outraged.  He had killed her!  She had put him to sleep with an arrow so powerful, he shouldn't have wakened.  But he was awake, and walking, and while she was living her afterlife in a place she never expected to be, he was traipsing around with the girl believed to be her reincarnate!

She hated him.  But it was because she had loved him enough to feel hatred for him.  She wanted to take Inu Yasha with her to hell.  They would be together, and it would have been his punishment for putting her there.  It would have been the embodiment of their love and hatred for each other.

But when she tried to take him with her, that _girl_ stopped her.  She had awakened his senses, and he had gone to her to stay by her side.

Kikyou had been forgotten.

She hated it!  Had she been replaced so easily?

It was her hatred of him that banished her name from the peaceful realms of the gods that would have been her final reward as a _miko_ and protector of innocents.

But she had loved too much, and the price she paid was dear.

_Hatred._

And then she had learned of another actor in the play of death in the forest.

_Naraku._

A visit to Kaede revealed that the bastard had taken on Inu Yasha's form and had given her that fatal blow.  It was revealed that he had also taken on Kikyou's form and had attacked him, causing him to retaliate by barging into the village and stealing the Shikon no Tama.

That day, she had sealed him onto a tree, and he had killed her.

Well, Naraku was the one that killed her.  She should have been overjoyed to know that her beloved had not been responsible for her death.

It was not so.  If anything, this news gave her more anger.

_Anger._

_Hatred._

Because of a man she had so foolishly shown kindness to, she had learned hatred.

She vowed to take care of Naraku that very same night of revelation.  Regretfully, the news had not removed her coldness to Inu Yasha.

_Inu Yasha._

They had loved each other once.  What she had felt for him was real.  The feelings he had once proclaimed for her was real.  Didn't he say it was so?  That eve when he had kissed her?

_Hah._  She had almost fallen for that kiss.  Almost.

She had hated it.

_Hatred._

Such a powerful emotion.

_Hatred._

_That bastard Naraku… it was all because of him.  And in the end, I wasn't the one who killed him._

When Naraku had retrieved the last shards from that wolf-demon's legs, she was by his side, watching as he fit the shards together, completing the jewel.  It then emitted a powerful _ki_ that attracted demons from all over, and Naraku used the jewel to fuel their hunger for the Shikon no Tama's power.  The jewel had gone completely black even before the first onslaught of demons appeared.

Naraku started absorbing those demons into himself, adding to his power.  She wanted to destroy him just when he thought he was the most powerful demon, so that she could have her revenge.  So she waited.

But she had waited a moment too late.

By the time she had let loose a powerful arrow, he had noticed her intent, and let out a maniacal screech of laughter.  Then he started absorbing her souls.

She had weakened too quickly, too easily.  She could feel her life draining away again when he appeared.

Naraku's focus had then turned to his greatest threat, and she had fled.

_Coward._

Inu Yasha had destroyed Naraku, she knew.  Her miko powers could no longer sense him.

In effect, he had saved her life today.

It was funny, ironic.  He had killed her and saved her.

_No_, she corrected herself.  He had saved her.  Naraku had killed her.

He saved her because he still loved her.

_But I hate him._

_Hmph_.

She soon started to feel her hands.  Closing her eyes, she waited for her soul stealers to provide her with enough souls to allow her to move again.  It was time to settle some things with Inu Yasha.

[A/N: Some vocabulary:

shinigamachi – Kikyou's soul stealers ]


End file.
